How Women Are Taking Over Digital Storytelling

How Women Are Taking Over Digital Storytelling

Four women have been nominated for Best Director at the Academy Awards in 87 years. Late-night TV has seen only a handful of female hosts and guest hosts (Joan Rivers, Chelsea Handler, Mo'Nique, Rachel Zoe, Samantha Bee, Grace Helbig). A 2015 study conducted by the the Women's Media Center (WMC) found that women only accounted for 38% of the bylines for the Associated Press and Reuters. According to another study by WMC, women made up just 22% of Emmy nominations over the past decade. Despite these numbers, we are finally seeing a shift that indicates change is on the horizon.

A community of women is taking control of the narrative. They are creating their own brand of storytelling while also paving the way for other women. It's an amazing moment to witness — so many women are steering the fate of their careers by throwing caution aside and doing what they want to do, all while providing mentorship to other women finding their voice in this field. It's not just enough to have a good idea — you need to be bold and take risks in order to catch the current, swimming, as we are, in a sea of the male point of view.

This year, the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival is hosting an event gathering the top women in the arts and technology to speak about their experiences and opportunities. The Tribeca Talks Daring Women Summit will include conversations with actress and activist Rosie Perez; Bustle.com editor-in-chief Kate Ward; designer Donna Karan; Marie Claire's executive editor, Lea Goldman; founder and CEO of MakeLoveNotPorn, Cindy Gallop; founder and CEO of The Muse, Kathryn Minshew; and R29's very own chief content officer, Amy Emmerich. The summit will kick things off with an opening keynote conversation featuring Rachel Sklar, cofounder of TheLi.st; Jo Miller, producer of Full Frontal with Samantha Bee; and Samantha Bee herself.

The event will feature the following panels: How to Negotiate Anything, Power of Podcasting, Creating Compelling Television That Resonates, Cracking the Code — Hollywood, Diversity and Computer Science, and Making Their Own Opportunities Online.